I met Sylvia Coates at a SEW (Sisters Empowering the World) retreat where she shared her story of surviving breast cancer. She stated that during her breast cancer treatment in 2008 she started painting to worship music to relieve the stress on her mind and body. She went on to show us samples of her work.

I was impacted by her art and I asked if she would do an inspired painting for me after reading my book, “As Long As There Is Breath In Your Body, There Is Still Hope.” She said, “Yes, I would be delighted to do it.”

After receiving the photo of what Sylvia painted after reading my book; I was struck by how colorful it is, the symbolism of hope embodied in the painting, and the joy that I felt just by looking at it.

Sylvia later told me that everything about the book inspired her and gave her hope. She said that she connected with hope because hope is what kept her going through her bout with breast cancer as she went through chemotherapy. She has been cancer free for over 10 years.

While meditating on her painting of hope, I began to think about how out of the darkest of times the light of hope can shine through and bring joy.

Both Sylvia and I have been through difficult and challenging life events that could have left each of us down and out. However, I tapped into my purpose by starting Mothers In Crisis and Sylvia tapped into her God given gift of painting beautiful acrylic art.

While I know that the saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is often thought to be an old worn out cliche, I believe that what makes cliches so enduring is the fact that they have a ring of truth to them.

I am convinced that if you add sweetness to the bitterness that life can bring, you just might produce something that someone else wants, and in many cases, need.